Protection of electronic systems against physical attackers is an important aspect of security and military systems. For example, bank ATM machines require tamper-resistant and/or tamper-detection features to protect their electronic components from being accessed by intruders. In such machines, the electronic components are protected by, for instance, features that detect unauthorized attempts to remove access panels or to penetrate the enclosure by drilling a whole through the enclosure. Penetrations may be used to insert RF probes into the enclosure to identify vulnerabilities or perform side channel attacks.
While a variety of technologies exist for tamper-resistance and tamper-detection for use with secure systems, attackers continue to find new ways to thwart such protective features.
Additionally, many such secure electronic systems require the ability to communicate wirelessly with other electronic systems. That means antennas and counterpoise planes need to be incorporated into these electronic systems, further complicating their designs and manufacturing processes.